Electrical contact-carrying garment for muscle stimulation

ABSTRACT

Electrical muscle stimulation is effected by means of a body garment having a plurality of body contact electrodes secured in it. The garment is wired to provide a single contact area for all the electrodes. The electrodes are selectively energized through a multiple contact switch associated with said contact area, so that the electrical muscle stimulating pulse output of a generator may be applied to a desired electrode pair through the switch.

United States Patent [7 2] Inventor Robert I. Sarbacher 2503 Tracy PlaceN. W., Washington, D.C. 20008 [21] App]. No. 608,317

[221' Filed Jan. 10, 1967 [45] Patented Oct. 5, 1971 [54] ELECTRICALCONTACT-CARRYING GARMENT FOR MUSCLE STIMULATION 1 Claim, 16 DrawingFigs.

[52] US. Cl 128/379, 200/51 [51] Int. Cl A6ln H08 [50] Field of Search128/379, 416,421,422,411,423,417,418, 404,406,419; 200/11 C, SI

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 710,429 10/1902 Collins eta1. 128/411 X 1,597,061 8/1926 Cultra 128/423 X 3,195,540 7/1965Waller..... 128/422 3,275,766 9/1966 Krehbiel 200/51 3,334,198 8/1967Bedoes et al 200/1 1 C UX Primary Examiner-William Ev KammAttorneyParis, Haskell & Levine ABSTRACT: Electrical muscle stimulationis effected by means of a body garment having a plurality of bodycontact electrodes secured in it. The garment is wired to provide asingle contact area for all the electrodes. The electrodes areselectively energized through a multiple contact switch associated withsaid contact area, so that the electrical muscle stimulating pulseoutput of a generator may be applied to a desired electrode pair throughthe switch.

TO OTHLR BOD LLLL RODL PAIRS Puesz Gamer-roe PATENIED mm 3,610,250

SHEET 1 [IF 7 FIG] INVENIOR ROBERT I. SARBACl-IER ATTORNEYS PATENTEB BET3,610,250

SHEET 3 [IF 7 nwmon ROBERT I. SARBACHER FIGS FIGJ

w awmaneam ATTORNEYS PATENIEBUBI slaw 1 3.510.250

' SHEEI Q [If 7 PULSE GENERATOR INVENTOR ROBERT LSARBACHER AJTCRNEYSPATENTEI] 0U 519m SHEU 6 0f 7 FIGJS mvsmox ROBERT I. SARBAC HERATTORNEYS PATENTEDUBI 5197i 3.610.250

SHEET 7 BF 7 Q TOOTHER I F "-7- BODY MW... ELECTRODE 75) Q PAIRS O 91 ik98 PICKUP CIRCUIT PULSE GENERATOR INVEN'IQR ROBERTLSARBACHER BY 5mATTORNEYS ELECTRICAL CONTACT-CARRYING GARMENT FOR MUSCLE STIMULATION Thepresent invention relates to the field of electrical muscle stimulation,and particularly to a body garment adapted to provide for musclestimulation selectively at desired areas of the body.

Muscle manipulation by the use of electrical pulse stimulation is wellknown, and numerous systems have been devised and used for this purpose.The most prevalent approach in this art is to provide an electrode padcomprising two separate body-contacting electrodes united by means of aflexible web to form a single electrode pad. An electronic pulsegenerator is used to develop the muscle stimulating electrical pulses ata desired frequency, duration and power, and the output of thisgenerator is coupled by wire leads to the electrode pad, one lead toeach electrode. Binding posts or other connector structure are mountedon the electrodes to facilitate the coupling and decoupling of the pulsegenerator to the' electrode pad structure. Thus in use, the electrodepad is placed where desired on the body of the user, with the twobody-contacting electrodes engaging the skin of the user. With thegenerator wired to the electrode pad, its electrical pulse output isapplied across the two electrodes of the pad, and hence across the bodymuscles between the two electrodes, causing these muscles to contractand relax in response to the pulses applied from the generator. Theelectrode pad is usually either held on the desired area of the body byhand, or by a belt or band, or the like. In use it is often desired tomove the pad from one body area to another. Thus, with the conventionalelectrode pad arrangement the user must either be disrobed during use,or must partially disrobe to change position of the pad. Obviously theuser is therefore greatly restricted in mobility during treatment, andindeed is severely restricted in the locale at which the muscletreatment can be applied. In accordance with the present invention, anelectrical muscle stimulation system is provided wherein the user isafforded maximum mobility during treatment, and indeed is substantiallyunrestricted in the locale at which treatment can be had. Pur suant tothe present invention it would not be necessary for the user to disrobeeither wholly or partially during treatment or to change the area oftreatment, and at all times the user may if desired remain fully clothedwith normal outer garments on. Accordingly, a housewife during a periodof treatment would be free to answer the door or move freely about thethe house in the performance of her chores without fear ofembarrassment; and an office worker could undergo periods of treatmentwhile at work, without embarrassment and without being conspicuous.

These advantages are obtained by providing a special undergarment orbody garment with built in or affixed electrodes appropriately placed toenable selective stimulation of desired muscle areas, Appropriateelectrical conductor leads from each of the built in electrodes areaffixed to or entwined in the fabric of the garment, and are terminatedin one selector switch. Energization of the electrodes through theselector switch may be made in several ways, as will be describedsubsequently; and by means of the switch, desired pairs of theelectrodes may be energized to stimulate the muscle areas between theselected electrodes. In use it is contemplated that conventional outerclothing may be worn over the electrode undergarment; and depending uponthe design of the system, the selector switch may be mounted on theelectrode undergarment or removably plugged into a receptacle carried bythe undergarment through the outer clothing of the user. In eitherevent, the fully clad user may operate the switch and energize selectedelectrode pairs, or turn the energization off, at will, withoutdisrobing or otherwise disturbing the outer clothing.

It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide forelectrical muscle stimulation ofa plurality of selected areas of thebody ofa user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for electricalmuscle stimulation of a plurality of selected muscle areas of the bodyof a user without requiring selective positioning of electrodes in saidplurality of areas.

And still another object of the present invention is to provide forelectrical muscle stimulation of a plurality of selected muscle areas ofthe body of a user by electrical Switch commutation of said plurality ofareas.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing exemplary specific embodiments of the invention had inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals referto like or corresponding parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a body garment embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a back view of said garment;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the garment of FIGS. I and2, showing an electrode area;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a plug receptacle attached to or carriedby a body garment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a selector switch plug adapted to beinserted in the plug receptacle of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an internal view of the switch plug of FIG. 7 with the coverremoved;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the plug of FIG. 7 insertedthrough outer garments of a user into the plug receptacle of FIG. 5carried upon the garment of FIGS. 1 and 2, together with an electricalmuscle stimulation pulse generator connected by wire leads to theselector switch plug;

FIG. 10 is a schematic wiring diagram of the system as applied to agarment shown in FIGS. I and 2;

FIG. 11 is a front view of a garment as shown in FIG. I with a modifiedelectrical stimulation pulse coupling system;

FIG. I2 is an enlarged view of the selector switch and pulse couplingunit carried by a garment of FIG. lI;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line l3 13 of FIG. 12;

FIGS. 14 and I5 are sectional views taken along lines I4 I4 and l5l5respectively of FIG. I3; and

FIG. 16 is a schematic electrical diagram of the system as applied to agarment of FIG. ll, including an electrical muscle-stimulating pulsegenerator for energizing the system.

In the embodiment of the present description, the body garment orundergarment is illustrated as a two-piece garment, comprising an upperbodyportion 12, for the upper torso, shoulders, and arms, and a lowerbody portion II, for the lower torso, hips, and legs. A two-piecegarment is preferred, so that the user may employ only one portion ofthe the garment if desired, although certainly a one-piece leotard-typcgarment could be provided, if desired. The lower body garment 1] has aplurality of body contacting electrode pairs affixed to the insidethereof, as for example, the electrode pairs 2311-23!) for the abdomen.2Iu-2Ib for the front left thigh portion, 22a-22b for the front rightthigh portion, 32a-32c and 3111-310 for the left and right buttocks. and3211-3217 and 3111-31!) for the rear left and right thigh portions.Similarly the upper body garment 12 has appropriate body-contactingelectrodes secured on the inside, as exemplified by electrode pairs24a-24, 25a-25b, 26a-26b, 27a27b, 33a-33b, and 34a-34b Obviously,additional or different positioning of the electrode pairs may beselected in the design of the body garments.

The body garments II and 12 are fabricated to fit snugly to the body ofthe user to facilitate electrical contact between the electrodesand theskin of the user, and may preferably be made from a stretch material,such as a knit fabric, or a stretch yarn. The various body-contactingelectrodes are affixed to the inside surface of the garment either by anadhesive or by stitching, or the like, and are formed of a flexibleconductive material, such as a metal foil or a conductive plastic. Asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the back side of body-contacting electrode 310,for example, accommodates a wire lead 51, which may be branched toeffect a distributed contact over its back surface. The distributedcontact 51 is the terminus of an insulated conductive lead 52 which runsto the terminal plug receptacle 42 mounted on the garment 11. Lead 52may be interwoven with the garment fabric, as shown in FIG. 4, or may beotherwise affixed to the garment fabric along its path to the terminalplug receptacle. Each of the other body-contacting electrodes or garment11 is similarly contacted by the terminus of its own insulatedelectrical wire lead, and all these leads run from their respectiveelectrodes to the terminal plug receptacle 42. The paths of these wireleads are all schematically represented by the heavy lines in FIGS. 1and 2 all designated for convenience by the numeral 53. The structure ofthe upper garment is the same, and those leads are all represented bythe heavy lines 54 running from the electrodes to the terminal plugreceptacle 41.

The terminal plug receptacles, 41 for the upper garment 12 and 42 forthe lower garment 11, are substantially identical, and a description ofone will suffice for both. The terminal plug receptacle 42 is shown indetail in FIGS. and 6. It comprises a housing 43 having a base flange 44secured to the garment fabric 11 by means of eyelets o r rivets 45passing through the flange and fabric. The body electrode wire leads 53are shown entering the receptacle housing as light weight cables throughapertures 46a and 46b. In the housing the cables are separated intotheir component individual conductive leads, and each lead is solderedto the internal portion of its respective contact eyelet 47. The contacteyelets protrude through the exposed wall 48 of the housing 43, and thusform a multiple pin plug receptacle adapted to receive the multiple pinplug 61 shown in detail in FIGS. 7 and 8. The contact eyelets 47 arearranged in two circles, one of smaller and the other of larger diameterin the wall 48 of the receptacle housmg.

The pin plug 61 is both a plug and a selector switch. Plug pins 62protrude from the wall 63 of plug housing 64, and are arranged in twocircles, one of smaller and the other of larger diameter, correspondingin arrangement to the contact eyelets 47 in the receptacle 42, so thatwhen properly aligned the pins 62 will be received in the eyelets 47. Toinsure proper orientation of the plug 61 in the receptacle 42, anasymmetrical arrangement of the pins and eyelets may be employed, or anasymmetrical guide pin may be used. However, it is not thought that thisis essential, and so it is not shown. Also, to facilitate insertion ofthe plug in the receptacle, one or two of the pins 62 may be made longerthan the others, as a guide, if desired.

The interior of plug 61 is shown in FIG. 8. As there shown, the plugpins 62 that protrude from the wall 63 extend through the wall 63 to theback side thereof, where the pin heads 62a provide switch contacts. Apair of sliprings 65 and 66 are also mounted on the back side of wall63, which cooperate respectively with wiper arms 67 and 68 mounted on arotary switch shaft 69. The lightweight cable 69 supplies desiredelectrical muscle-stimulating pulses from a generator 81 to thesliprings 65 and 66. Thus, rotation of shaft 69 by means of indicatorhandle 60 causes wiper arm 67 to establish contact between slipring 65and the outer circle of plug pins 62 in succession, and causes wiper arm68 to establish contact between slipring 66 and the inner circle of plugpins 62 in succession. Wiper arms 67 and 68 are fixedly mounted on theshaft 69 at a selected angle, so that a paired relationship existsbetween the outer and inner circles of contacts. Thus, when the selectorknob 60 is moved to a particular contact position, and the plug 61 isproperly inserted in the receptacle 42, the electrical musclestimulation pulses fed from the generator 81 through wire 69 to sliprings 65 and 66, and thence through the wiper arms 67 and 68 to theselected pins 62, those leads 53 are energized which connect to aparticular pair of body electrodes on the garment associated with thatparticular position of the selector knob. In this way, merely by turningthe selector knob 60, the wearer of the garment 11 may change and selectwhich pair of body contact electrodes are energized.

This electrical relationship is best illustrated in the schematicelectrical diagram of FIG. 10. As there shown, the electricalmuscle-stimulating pulse output of pulse generator 81 is conducted bycable 69 to the selector switch pin plug and plug receptacle 42,61. Theselector switch wiper arms 67 and 68 are shown set to those switchcontacts 62a which connect with body electrodes 23a-23b, so the musclesof the user between electrodes 23a and 23b are stimulated by theelectrical pulses. As is readily apparent from FIG. 10, other muscleareas of the body may be selectively stimulated by rotating the selectorswitch to the appropriate contact position. For example, if the switchis rotated to place the wipers 67 and 68 in the position shown in dottedlines in FIG. 10, the muscle area between contact electrodes 31a and 31cis stimulated.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the receptacle 42 and plug 61coupled together in operative relationship through the users outerclothing. The plug receptacle 42 is affixed to the body garment 11, andtwo layers of outer clothing 82 are indicated as overlying the plugreceptacle. As shown, the pin prongs 62 of the plug 61, being about thediameter of ordinary straight pins, are penetrated through the outergarments 82 and caused to enter their appropriate eyelet receptacles 47.In this way, the electrical pulse output of generator 81 is coupled bycable 69 to the plug 61 into receptacle 42. By appropriate selection ofthe position of the selector switch through knob 60, the desired bodyelectrodes of the garment 11 are energized to stimulate the mody musclesof that area.

Energization of the electrodes in the upper body garment 12 is effectedin the same way as above-described, by inserting a pin plugsubstantially identical to plug 61 in the upper body garment plugreceptacle 41.

Suitable pulse generator circuits for purposes of the present inventionare well known in the art. One appropriate circuit is illustrated anddescribed in the copending application of the present inventor, Ser. No.598,845, filed Dec. 2, I966, and entitled Electrical Muscle Stimulator,and the disclosure of that application is incorporated by reference intothis specification.

Although it is preferred, as illustrated, to incorporate the selectorswitch in the pin plug, it is apparent that the plug can be merely aplug connected by a multistrand cable to the pulse generator; and theselector switch can be incorporated in the generator housing.

A second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 11-16 utilizesa somewhat different mode of energizing the body contact electrodes. Thebody garments 11 and 12 shown in FIG. 11 are identical to the garmentsillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and contain the same body contactelectrodes and the same electrode leads 53 and 54. These portions of thesystem therefore need not be redescribed. Instead of the pin plugreceptacles 41 and 42 of FIGS. 1 and 2, however, in the embodiment ofFIG. 11 these are replaced by an induction or radiated energy pick upcircuit and selector switch combination, indicated as 41 for the upperbody garment 12 and 42' for the lower body garment 11.

The principles of and circuitry for utilizing an induction or radiatedenergy coupling between a pulse generator and a remote body electrode,for electrical pulse muscle stimulation, is the subject matter of thecopending application of the present inventor, Ser. No. 598,495, filedDec. 1, I966, entitled Electrical Muscle Stimulator, and reference ismade thereto for a detailed description of this concept, and the same isincorporated herein by reference. The present description therefore willbe directed primarily to the application of that concept to the bodygarment approach of the present invention.

The energy pickup and selector switch combination units 41' and 42' aresubstantially identical, and therefore a description of one will sufficefor both. The unit 42' on the lower body garment 11 is shown in detailin FIGS. 12-15. Unit 42' comprises a housing 72 having a base flange bywhich the unit is secured to the fabric of the body garment 11 by rivets77. The housing 72 is divided into two compartments, compartment 96 forhousing the electronic energy pickup components generally indicated bythe numeral 93, and compartment 97 for housing the selector switchcomponents. The pickup components comprise a ferrite core coil 101 forpicking up the radiated or induction field pulses of a remote generator,and coupling this energy into detector and limiter circuits whosecircuit components are schematically represented by the elementsdesignated 93, all as more fully described in said copending applicationSer. No. 598,495. The detected and limited output of this section of theunit 41' is coupled by leads 91 and 92 to the sliprings 79 and 78respectively in the selector switch section 97 of unit 42'.

As in the preceding embodiment, the selector switch has a plurality ofswitch contact elements 71 arranged in two concentric circles, one oflarger diameter than the other. The contacts fonning the larger circleare positioned to be engaged sequentially by wiper arm 74 when it isrotated by the switch shaft 94 upon which it is mounted. At the sametime, the contacts forming the smaller circle are positioned to beengaged sequentially by wiper arm 75, which is also mounted on shaft 94for unison rotational movement with wiper arm 74. Wiper arm 74 alsoincorporates a contact portion 74' that sweeps over slipring 79, andwiper arm 75 likewise incorporates a contact portion 75' which sweepsover slipring 78. Thus, the wiper arms 74 and 75 transmit the output ofthe energy pickup unit from the collector rings 78 and 79 to theselected switch contacts 71 with which the wiper arms have been broughtinto engagement.

Each contact 71 is the terminal for a wire lead in cable 53 connected toa selected one of the body contact electrodes on the garment 11.Accordingly, by proper positioning of the switch by rotation of knob 76to one of the dial positions 73, a desired pair of body contactelectrodes will be placed in circuit with the output leads 91 and 92 ofthe energy pickup unit 98. This relationship is best illustrated by theschematic circuit diagram of FIG. 16. A pulse generator circuit 99similar to that shown and described in said copending application Ser.No. 598,495, radiates an induction or radiofrequency energy field fromits transmitting loop 100. This energy field drives the pickup circuit98, to provide a series of electrical muscle stimulating pulses on thepickup circuit output leads 91 and 92. These pulses are conductedthrough the selector switch wiper arms 74 and 75 to those selectorswitch contacts 71 which connect with body contact electrodes 23a-23b,thereby causing stimulation of the body muscles in the area of thoseelectrodes. Obviously, the user may select any other body electrode pairby appropriate positioning of the selector switch wiper arms, as forexample is indicated by their dotted line position, wherein electrodepair 22a22b is energized.

In utilizing the present embodiment of the invention, if the user iswearing outer garments over the body garments 11 and 12, the entirepickup and selector units 41' and 42' are concealed beneath the outergarments. This presents both an advantage and disadvantage relative tothe first described embodiment wherein the pin plug 61 is positionedoutside the outer clothing, in that although the units 41' and 42' arecompletely concealed, the positioning of the selector switch knob 76 isnot as convenient. Nevertheless, with but a little experience the userwill be able to manipulate the selector knob 76 by feel to a particularposition to energize a desired body electrode pair.

In the above-identified copending application Ser. No. 598,845, there isdescribed a miniature battery-operated pulse generator for use with amuscle-stimulating body electrode pad. That miniature pulse generatorcould of course be incorporated in selector units 41 and 42' incompartment 96 in place of the pickup unit 98, and have its two outputleads connected to the sliprings 78 and 79, so that its output pulseswould be applied to a desired body electrode pair through the selectorswit ch in com artment 97.

Other variations an modifications of the invention WI be apparent tothose skilled in the art, and therefore it is understood that theforegoing embodiments are presented merely as exemplary to enable acomplete understanding of the invention. Such variations andmodifications as are embraced by the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims are contemplated as within the purview of the present invention.

What is claimed is: I

1. In a system for applying muscle-stimulating electrical energy to thebody of a recipient, a body garment adapted to be worn directly againstthe body of the recipient, said garment having a plurality of electrodepairs affixed to the inside surface thereof for engagement with the bodyof the recipient, a terminal block affixed to the garment having aterminal for each electrode, an electrical conductor coupled to eachsaid electrode and running along the garment from the electrode to itsrespective terminal on said terminal block, whereby electrical couplingmay be had to selected electrode pairs through said terminal block,means carried by said garment for picking up the energy of anelectromagnetic and a selector switch for coupling said energy toselected terminals of said terminal block, said terminals being switchcontacts for said selector switch.

1. In a system for applying muscle-stimulating electrical energy to thebody of a recipient, a body garment adapted to be worn directly againstthe body of the recipient, said garment having a plurality of electrodepairs affixed to the inside surface thereof for engagement with the bodyof the recipient, a terminal block affixed to the garment having aterminal for each electrode, an electrical conductor coupled to eachsaid electrode and running along the garment from the electrode to itsrespective terminal on said terminal block, whereby electrical couplingmay be had to selected electrode pairs through said terminal block,means carried by said garment for picking up the energy of anelectromagnetic and a selector switch for coupling said energy toselected terminals of said terminal block, said terminals being switchcontacts for said selector switch.